Early Birds & Night Owls

It was Wednesday, mid-morning, when a friend called to shoot the breeze. During our conversation, I mentioned my thirteen-year-old daughter was still asleep.

“Oh, is she sick?”

“No, she’s recently become a real late bird. She was up reading most of the night.”

“Wow!” my friend marveled. “You’re very lenient. I have my kids up for school by six o’clock.”

It’s not as if I wasn’t used to such comments (though the note of condescension in her voice bugged me). My daughter’s late rising has brought about a great deal of eye rolling and gaping disbelief from those who cannot imagine life outside the pre-set hours of institutionalized education, even though they are aware our child is not a part of that institution.

Is it stubborn adherence to tradition that keeps people holding the early bird in such high regard, while the night owl is chastised for being lazy?

2 Responses to Early Birds & Night Owls

Hi Helen,
Is it anyone’s business when we rise, or not? This issue bugs me as well. I had to put a comment in our homeschool support group directory, “No phone calls before 9 a.m.” because the phone will ring before 7!
However, another thought. I do want my children to learn to get up with an alarm clock as, unfortunately, some day they will need to conform to whatever institutionalized world they choose to become a part of.
Blessings,
Carol

Sakkidra on October 30, 2009 at 1:34 am

Hi Helen,

My teenage daughter also stays up late and sleeps in.
This is just her natural rhythm. She still gets her
school done and turns in her work to me in the afternoon.
She enjoys having the house quiet to study. She can’t
do that during the day when her little sister is up.
This does not effect her ability to change her late
schedule when needed. She has had volunteer jobs that
required her to get up early and has had no problem
adjusting when necessary.
Don’t worry about what those other folks think. If it
works for you and your family then it is just fine.